SECTION 16. HOW MAY

RETROACTIVE EFFECT BE LIMITED?

Taxpayer may request that retroactivity be limited

Form of request to limit retroactivity — continuing transaction before examination of return

Form of request to limit retroactivity — in all other cases

another member and, therefore, the holding in a revocation or modification of a letter ruling, TAM, or TEAM to one member of an industry may be retroactively applied to other members of the industry. By the same reasoning, a tax practitioner may not extend to one client the non-retroactive application of a revocation or modification of a letter ruling, TAM, or TEAM previously issued to another client.

When a letter ruling to a taxpayer or a TAM or a TEAM involving a taxpayer is modified or revoked with retroactive effect, the notice to the taxpayer, except in fraud cases, sets forth the grounds on which the modification or revocation is being made and the reason why the modification or revocation is being applied retroactively.

.01 Under § 7805(b), an Associate Chief Counsel, as the Commissioner’s delegate, may prescribe the extent, if any, to which a TAM or a TEAM will be applied without retroactive effect.

A taxpayer for whom a TAM or a TEAM was issued or for whom a TAM or a TEAM request is pending may request that the appropriate Associate Chief Counsel limit the retroactive effect of any holding in the TAM or the TEAM or of any subsequent modification or revocation of the TAM or the TEAM.

When germane to a pending TAM or TEAM request, a taxpayer should request to limit the retroactive effect of the holding of the TAM or the TEAM early during the consideration of the advice request by the Associate office. This § 7805(b) request should be made initially as part of that pending TAM or TEAM request. The Associate office will consider a § 7805(b) request to limit the retroactive effect of the holding if the request is made at a later time and the Service determines that there is justification for having delayed the request.

.02 When a TAM or a TEAM that concerns a continuing transaction is modified or revoked by, for example, issuance of a subsequent revenue ruling or temporary or final regulations, a request to limit the retroactive effect of the modification or revocation of the TAM or the TEAM must be made in the form of a request for a letter ruling if the request is submitted before an examination of the return pertaining to the transaction that is the subject of the request for the letter ruling. The requirements for a letter ruling request are given in Rev. Proc. 2004–1 (this Bulletin).

.03 In all other cases during the course of an examination of a taxpayer’s return by the director or during consideration of the taxpayer’s return by the appeals area director (including when the taxpayer is informed that the director or the appeals area director will recommend that a TAM, TEAM, letter ruling, or determination letter previously issued to, or with regard to, the taxpayer be modified or revoked), a taxpayer’s request to limit retroactivity must be made in the form of a request for a TAM or a TEAM.

The request must meet the general requirements of a TAM or a TEAM request, which are given in sections 7 and 9 of this revenue procedure. The request must also:

(1) state that it is being made under § 7805(b);

(2) state the relief sought;

(3) explain the reasons and arguments in support of the relief sought (including a discussion of the five items listed in section 15.06 of this revenue procedure and any other factors as they relate to the taxpayer’s particular situation); and

(4) include any documents bearing on the request.

Sec. 16.03 2004-1 I.R.B. 109 January 5, 2004

The taxpayer’s request, including the statement that the request is being made under § 7805(b), must be submitted to the director or the appeals area director who must then forward the request to the Associate office for consideration.

Taxpayer’s right to a conference .04 When a request for a TAM or a TEAM concerns only the application of § 7805(b), the taxpayer has the right to a conference with the Associate office in accordance with the provisions of section 11 of this revenue procedure. In accordance with section 11.02 of this revenue procedure, the examining agent or appeals officer, field counsel, and other Service representatives will be offered the opportunity to participate in the conference on the § 7805(b) issue.

If the request for application of § 7805(b) is included in the request for a TAM or a TEAM on the substantive issues or is made before the conference of right on the substantive issues, the § 7805(b) issues will be discussed at the taxpayer’s one conference of right.

If the request for the application of § 7805(b) is made as part of a pending TAM or TEAM request after a conference has been held on the substantive issues and the Service determines that there is justification for having delayed the request, then the taxpayer will have the right to one conference of right concerning the application of § 7805(b), with the conference limited to discussion of this issue only.

Reconsideration of § 7805(b) relief .05 When a TAM or a TEAM grants a taxpayer relief under § 7805(b), the director or appeals area director may not request reconsideration of the § 7805(b) issue unless the director or appeals area director determines there has been a misstatement or omission of controlling facts by the taxpayer in its request for § 7805(b) relief.